Parts of 1898 map showing Perseverance Estate and Confederate Estate
Before 1917, Joo Chiat Road was known as the Confederate Estate Road. At that time, most of the land in the area belonged to the Little family. The road name changed after Chew Joo Chiat (Chinese: 周如切; pinyin: Zhōu Rúqiè; Pe̍h-ōe-jī: Chiu Jû-chhiat), a famous prominent ethnic Chinese businessman of Peranakan (Chew Joo Chiat himself wasn't Peranakan, he however married into a Peranakan family) descent who became the owner of most of the land in the area around Joo Chiat Road. Chew bought land from the Alsagoff family as well as the Little (John Little & Co.) family to plant spices, such as nutmeg, gambier and pepper which were in great demand by Europeans.
In 1903, Chew added more land to his plantation by purchasing more than an acre of land for $35,000/- from Henry William Crane. Later, he turned all his land into coconut plantations when copra became a cash crop. His foresight and business acumen made him a wealthy land owner.
Confederate Estate Road
In 1913, he bought at auction 5 freehold building allotments fronting the Confederate Estate Road to further increase his land holding. In early 1917 Confederate Estate Road was still a cart track going through Chew's plantation, and as such it was a private road maintained by him. Transportation of local produce was by bullock carts. Joo Chiat area was then under the jurisdiction of the Rural Board. When the Municipal Limit extended into Confederate Estate Road, the Municipality wanted to construct a road for motor vehicles from Geylang Serai to the beach. There was no land acquisition law in force at that time, so the Municipality offered to buy the stretch of Chew's land (the Confederate Estate Road) to construct a road for motor vehicles. Chew saw the benefit of a transport infrastructure going through his land, and bequeathed the road to the authority without compensation. For his generosity, the road was named after him: Joo Chiat Road.
Joo Chiat Road
As more people moved into area around Joo Chiat Road, especially along East Coast Road, there was a big demand for housing. Chew divided his land into building lots and sold them to developers to build houses. Subsequent establishment of some of Singapore’s earliest season houses and holiday bungalows resulted in Joo Chiat becoming a wealthy and upper middle class suburb with a relaxing and scenic locale.
Today, Joo Chiat Road is best known for its colourful rows of traditional Peranakan shophouses, dating back to the 1920s and 1930s, that line the narrow street. Joo Chiat’s development began with attendant amenities and an electric tramway was built between the Joo Chiat-Changi Market and Tanjong Pagar.
Source: Wikipedia
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Besides plantations, the area also contained country houses and seaside bungalows built by the wealthy, as well as a number of villages. In an 1885 map of Singapore’s East Coast, the area that later became Joo Chiat is not delineated and lies between the areas of Gelang (Geylang) and Siglap. Two prominent locations existent on the map, however, are the seaside point of Tanjong Katong and Confederate Estate, on the outskirts of Siglap.
From 1900, people leaving the overcrowded city centre were drawn to the east, with a resultant growth in the area’s resident population. New residential areas with attendant amenities were established, and these included what is now the Joo Chiat area. In early 1905, an electric tramway ran between the Joo Chiat-Changi Market (present-day Joo Chiat Complex) and Tanjong Pagar near the city centre. From the 1920s, the area was served by a number of bus companies; other forms of transportation included taxis and trishaws.
Demand for residential land began to break up the plantations, and the establishment of Catholic churches and schools in the early 1900s brought a significant Eurasian presence into the area. Around the same period, Peranakan families began to settle in Joo Chiat, building the Peranakan-style shophouses that Joo Chiat is known for today. Some of the best examples of these shophouses are found along Koon Seng Road, Everitt Road and Joo Chiat Place.
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This is an old Kampong style house which has been converted to a temple. This house might have been built before the shop lots were built along Joo Chiat Road. May 2022
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Modern style shop lot which follows the design features of 19 century shop lots. May 2022
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Built in 1928 indicating it's one of the older buildings along Joo Chiat Road. May 2022
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Joo Chiat Terrace
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Koon Seng Road
Koon Seng Road was known as Lorong E East Coast before being renamed after Cheong Koon Seng (b.1880 – d. 1932) in 1934. Cheong Koon Seng was the elder of two sons of Cheong Ann Bee, a wealthy first-generation Straits-born merchant from Malacca. Koon Seng, one of the first cohort of 13 students of Anglo-Chinese School, built the Theatre Royal and Star Opera Company on North Bridge Road in the 1870s with his brother Koon Hong. He was an auctioneer and a real estate agent.
Koon Seng Road was a predominantly residential area, but it had a vibrant business atmosphere as there were shophouses along the road. The road was also a Peranakan enclave in the past until the 1970s when the Peranakans began moving to other parts of Singapore. A few dreaded triads such as Gang 18 and 36th Pai operated in the vicinity of this road. Kampongs situated around the road proved to be good hideouts, especially for hiding weapons. Though violence was limited to inter-gang fights and did not affect the layman directly, scenes of violent fights are well remembered by those who grew up in the area in the 1950s.
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Everitt Road
This road was named after Sir Clement Everitt (1874-1934) who became a Partner at the legal firm of Sisson and Delay in 1909. He was a member of the Legislative Council and Executive Council of the Colony. He retired in 1927 and received a knighthood in 1928. Everitt Road was a rename of Lorong 3 Changi in 1931.
Source: What's in the Name? by Yew Peng Ng, Pg. 151
Joo Chiat Place
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Crane Road
T. O. Crane, an auctioneer, arrived in Singapore around 1824. He married this daughter of Jose d'Almeida (see D'Almeida Street). They had 14 children. This road was known as Lorong A before it was renamed in 1934.
Source: What's in the Name? by Yew Peng Ng, Pg. 134
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